Raj Begum

Born on 27March 1927 in Srinagar, Shrimati Raj Begum received her training in the folk music of Kashmir from accomplished artis s such as Jhandee Khan,Muhammad Abdullah Tibetbaqual, and Ghulam Muhammad Qaleenbaaf. In the course of her long career in music, she has herself trained a number of students including Ghulam Nabi Sheikh, Mehtab Begum, Zoona Begum, and Naseema Akhter.
An exceedingly popular performer, she is known for her wide repertoire of folk songs of Kashmir. Her rendering of Gulrez , a tale of love, many years ago is still fresh in the minds of listeners. Shrimati Raj Begum has sung scores of Ghazal, Geet, Chhakri, and Rauf compositions in her inimitable style. She has represented her State in festivals of music within the country and abroad. She has performed over All India Radio and Doordarshan, Srinagar, for many years.
For her service to Kashmiri folk music, Shrimati Raj Begum has been honoured by the State and Union Governments. She is the recipient of the Sadiq Memorial Award conferred by the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir (1962); the Robe of Honour presented by the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art , Culture and Languages; a Certificate of Excellence from Prasar Bharati (1999); the Padma Shri (2002); the State Award of the Government of Madhya Pradesh (2004); and the Jammu and Kashmir State Cultural Academy Award (2009).
Shrimati Raj Begum receives the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for her contribution to the folk music of Jammu and Kashmir.